Man charged with third DUI has 7 previous convictions for driving on a revoked license

A Washington Park man with a lengthy history of driving infractions was charged with his third DUI.

Deputies stopped 37-year-old Eric Stevenson on suspicion of speeding on Illinois 161 approaching St. Clair Avenue on Saturday morning, according to a news release from the St. Clair County Sheriff's Department. Police believed he was under the influence of alcohol, and performed field sobriety tests. A breath test showed his level was 0.115, more than the legal limit of .08.

He was arrested and found to have a revoked driver's license from a previous DUI conviction. Police also found he was out on bond pending a resolution on a bank robbery charge from Cahokia in October 2017.

He was charged with felony subsequent DUI and driving with a revoked license. His bail was set at $50,000, and he remained in the St. Clair County Jail on Monday afternoon.

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St. Clair County Sheriff's Department Capt. Bruce Fleshren said it's difficult to deter someone from driving with a revoked license if the consequences aren't enough to stop them.

"If someone chooses to drive it is very difficult to stop them from using a car, or getting access to a vehicle from someone," Fleshren said. "There are devices and a new phone alcohol detector to use for one vehicle, and as long they only use that vehicle, it works fairly well to detect and prevent driving while intoxicated. But to just drive while suspended or revoked, it again is difficult at best to stop."

Stevenson was convicted of a DUI in 2005 and 2006, and was charged nine times with driving on a revoked license or driving without a license, according to online court records. Seven of the nine charges resulted in convictions. The charges span from 2003 to 2018.

He received probation and court supervision for the 2005 and 2006 DUIs, and was sentenced to jail time for two of the revoked licenses charges. He served nine days straight in 2011 and 14 weekend days in 2012.